A Fine Horse in New Country

Hmm...what to take?

Anyone who has ever taken a long ride with horses has the same experience of overpacking to begin with, and shedding 'stuff' like confetti once you really get going!

If you have a packhorse, the temptation can be to load him up. A horse can carry 20 - 25% of his own body weight if it is 'deadweight', so a fairly average 500kg horse could carry 100kg of kit comfortably, which is quite a lot of gear! But...remember that the horse gets no respite from that weight all day (except at lunchtime if you unload him as you should). It's not like a riding horse, where you can hop off going up a steep hill, or to give him a break for five or ten minutes. He's carrying that ALL the time, so I consider it best to travel as light as possible, and make sure that it is packed as well as possible.

The list on the right covers what we take on a ride. Many of the items do 'double duty' and are used for several purposes, thereby earning their place on the trip.

Packing

Packing a horse well is, quite rightly, considered an art. Weight is everything - not only taking the lightest gear you can, but also making sure that the load is evenly balanced - even a few pounds of a mismatch and you will be plagued with slipping gear, saddle, or risk making your horse sore.

You also want to make sure that no sharp edges are going to be poking into your horse - you will make him sore (and grumpy) and may get some unintended acceleration! So soft things like sleeping bags or clothes are better next to the horse than tent poles, for example. Gear needs to be packed so it doesn't shift in transit, even if Bilbo does a sharp 180 degree spook, or is travelling up and down steep hills. Be aware that loads can do some strange things when you start to trot and canter - basically they're obeying the laws of physics, but sometimes those laws ain't pretty. Generally the horse can carry the load more easily if it's carried fairly high and not dangling round his knees. You also want to try and avoid too much weight behing the saddle, over the horse's loins (where his back is weakest.)
A bumbag with essential items for yourself is good - should you and Bilbo become separated, he might find it hard to use your mobile phone.

Saddlebags/packs should also be packed fairly tightly, to stop items shifting around. This requires a little thought and planning - there are certain items which you may need to get to quickly. You don't want your wirecutters buried somewhere at the bottom of a pack underneath all your camping gear! I like to have my lunch pretty handy too...

Horses:
Saddle and packsaddle
Saddlepads
Bridle
Breastplate
Crupper (pack horse)
Halters (with ID tags)
Long lead ropes
Electric corral
Quick soak sugar beet
Various packs/ saddlebags
Exped waterproof bag liners
Old Mac Hoof boots
Fly/midge masks

Camping
Tent (Vango Spirit, 2.5 kg)
Sleeping bag and inflatable sleeping pad
Tarpaulin (to keep gear dry overnight)
Trangia meths stove (simple and safe)
Cooking equipment
Waterproof matches
Food

Personal
Spare clothes, especially SOCKS!
Helmet
Waterproofs
Washing gear
Gloves
Torch
Mobile phone
Wet wipes
Vaseline (you'll find out)
Notebook and pen
Maps and compass
Sun block (I can hope)

Miscellaneous
Duct tape (fixes anything!)
Wire cutters
Small folding saw
Penknife
Baler twine (for tying up and 101 other things)
Bin liners (many uses)
Collapsible water buckets

Emergency
Whistle
First aid kit (human/horse)
Space blanket
Insect repellent

Saddlebags/Packs
I have found it very difficult to get good packing gear in the UK - most of it is pretty flimsy and comes apart without warning. Some of it is also clearly designed on a computer or an old envelope - certainly not on a horse! There is a better selection in the US, and some of it I make/adapt myself. Don't overlook packing gear provided for walkers/cyclists/motorcyclists - some of these can be adapted without too much difficulty.

The packs should not directly touch your horse - get a good large saddle blanket or pad to minimise rubbing.

Or..
There's always Plan B if you just want to give it a try - get a loved one to meet you at night with a truck and trailer! We've had some great camping trips like this - weight is not an issue and the horses can travel faster during the day.

You can take a chair to sit on at the end of the day to watch the sunset (and there's no limit to your baggage allowance of fine wine!)